Various forms of structures have been heretofore provided to enable escape from the upper floors of a building in the case of a fire or other emergency preventing normal exit from the building. Some of these previous structures have included collapsible and/or foldable ladder assemblies and some of these ladder structures are constructed in a manner whereby they may be stored in a relatively inobtrusive manner when not in use. However, a need exists for a foldable fire ladder and escapes for attachment to the exterior side of a building and which may be stored in an unobstrusive collapsed or folded state when not in use and yet which may be readily unfolded to an open operative condition and provide a sturdy support structure which may be used by the occupants of a building for emergency exit therefrom.
Examples of various forms of fire ladders and escapes as well as other similar structures including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 48,333, 295,127, 2,492,511, 3,025,923, 3,314,081, 3,756,347 and 4,037,686.